Skin-stretcher.



PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

A. W. ANDREWS.

SKIN STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16, 1904.

INVENTOH flan 71 zzndl'ewa ATTORNEYS Patented March 7, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ASA W. ANDREWVS, OF WINNEBAGO CITY, MINNESOTA.

SKIN-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,374, dated March '7, 1905,

Application filed l'uly 16, 1904. Serial No. 216,849.

To 1117/ whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, Asa WV. ANDREws, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of \Vinnebago City, in the county of Faribault and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and Improved Skin-Stretcher, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention .relates to improvements in devices for holding and stretching the skins of muskrats and similar small animals for the purpose of dressing and drying, the object being to provide a stretcher of simple construction that will be light, yet strong and serviceable, and having no parts liable to get out of order.

I will describe a skin-stretcher embodying my invention and then point out the novel fea: tures in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar-characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of a skinstretcher embodying my invention with the skin thereon. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the locking connection between one of the frame members and the stretcherbar,and Fig. 4c is a perspective view thereof.

The frame of the stretcher comprises two members 1 2, of suitable metal, these members being pivotally connected together at one end, as indicated at 3, and at the pivoted ends the members are curved inward to conform substantially to the head end of a skin. These frame members are made of flat metal, with the greatest width arranged transverse y, thus providing a light frame not liable to bend. One of the frame members, here shown as the member 2, is pivotally connected to a stretcherbar it, provided with teeth 5, with any one of which the end of the other frame member is designed to engage. The said other frame member at its end is provided with a notch 6, the wall of which is beveled, so that the end may readily slide over the ratchet-teeth of the bar. A chain 7 is attached to the bar 4, and connected to the chain is a double hook 8, one hook member being designed to engage in the skin, as indicated in Fig. 1, while the other member is to be engaged with a link of the chain, so as to hold the skin as stretched lengthwise. At one end the stretcher-bar 4. is provided with a notch 9 for receiving a nail or other device for suspending the stretcher with the skin thereon.

In use the skin, it will be understood, is drawn off the animal whole from the hind legs to the head, and during such skinning operation the for side is turned inward. The skin is to be drawn over the frame, and then the member 1 thereof is to be forced outward on the bar 4 until the skin is sufliciently taut. Before this movement, however, the hook 8 must be engaged with the skin.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letter Patent 1. A skin-stretchercomprisinga framehaving two members pivotally connected, the said members being curved inward at the pivoted end, a stretcherbar having pivotal connection with one of the frame members and provided with teeth for engagement with the other frame member, and a chain provided with a hook, attached to said bar.

2. Askin-streteher havinga frame comprising two members pivotally connected together at one end and consisting of flat metal, the greatest width being transverse of the frame, a stretcher-bar pivoted to one of the frame members and having teeth for engagement with the other frame member, a chain attached to said bar, and a double hook on the chain.

3. A skin-stretcher having a frame comprising two members pivotall y connected together at one end, a stretcher-bar provided with teeth and pivoted to one of the frame members, the other of said frame members being provided with a notch having a beveled wall at its end, a chain attached to the bar, and a double hook on the chain.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ASA \V. ANDREWS.

Vitnesses:

GERTRUDE IxooMAN, BENJ. G. REYNOLDS. 

